Cutting shears



H. R. HOWELL CUTTING SHEARS sept. 4; 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Feb. 21, 1948 Sept- 4, 1951 H. R.` HOWELL 2,566,492

` cuTTING sHEARs Filed Feb. 21, 194s 2 Sheets-$heet 2 f6 ff mm INVENTOR.

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Patented Sept. 4, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CUTTING SHEARS Herbert R. Howell, Summit, N. J. Application February 21, 1948 Serial No. 10,089 6 Claims. (Cl. 30-213) The present invention relates to cutting shears relates more particularly to a cutting shears having four cutting blades.

The various objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following de` s ,cription and the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 'is a plan view of a cutting shears embodying the invention;

Big. 2 is a side view of the cutting shears illustrates in nig. 1; I

Fla. 3- is 4a section view taken along the line I`3 of Fig. v1;

Fig. 4 is a section view taken along the line #-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a planA view of the cutting shears illustrated in Fig. l with the blades in partially closed position;

Fig. 8 is a side view of the shears illustrated in Rig/.f5 asy seen from the line 6-6;

Fig. 'i is a bottom view of the shears illustrated in Fig. 1 with the blades in fully closed position;

Fi. 8 is a side view of the shears illustrated 'in Fig. 7 as seen from the line 8-B; and

Fig. 9 is a section view taken along the line I--i of- Fig. 5.

The cutting shears illustrated are of the type usually operated with one hand for clipping and trimming grass or similar vegetation. It will be.

understood that shears embodying the invention may also be provided for two hand operation as in hedge clippers, etc. In the shears, as illus trated. the hand action or squeeze which results in. the cutting is reduced to one-half of what it is for the customary two-bladed type of grass shears to eut an equal width of grass at asingle clip. In other words, in the present shears, the points ofV the blades of the shears move only one-half the distance` that would be required for an equivalent lengthl of cut with the customary two-bladed shears. This permits Women and persons with small hands to` operate the` present shears with` comfort and ease that is not obtainable with the usual two-bladed shears where the handles must open and close to a greater distance for an equivslant cutting action. It also presents the raising of blisters on the hand of the user that can occur from` the longer movement of the handles.

The present` shears also reduce the hand action as in many instances they will cut a. clump of grass with a single clip where several thrusts or clips would be required with the` customary twobladed shears. Also, in the shears embodying the invention the distance between the points of the blades is short relative to the length4 oi the blade 2. and the tendency forV the grass to bend over or slide out of the blades as they are being closed is reduced, thus facilitating an even and level cut! ting of the grass.

As shown in the drawings there is an operating member, indicated generally by the numeral I0. that carries a pair of spaced cutting blades II and I2 and has a handle portion I 3' that is shaped to fit the hand. A second operating member, iiidicated generally by the numeral I4, also carries a pair of spaced cutting blades I5 and I6 and has a handle portion I'I that is shaped. to flt the hand..

The operating members I0 and I4 are pivoted on a lever bolt I8 with the cutting blades. and handles of the respective members incrossed` rez.- lation to each other. The operating members Izll and I4 are held with. their respective blades in proper operating position relative to each other on the lever bolt I8 by a nut I8 that is` threaded on to the end of the bolt IIi.V The nut, I8' bears against a resilient member I9 in the form of a spring washer that engages with one of ther operating members. The resilientmember I8 permits` the operating members I0 and I4 to adjust themev selves relative to each other by moving apart or tilting slightly as their blades are being closed..

When the operating members Ill and |14. are in assembled relation, the. blades II and i5 car. ried by the operating members I0 and I4. re-` spectively, constitute the. inner blades of the shears and are in overlapping relation. Aa shown best in Figs. 3^ and 4, the opposed surfaces. of the blades I I and I5 are spaced apart by their opposed surfaces being sloped away from each other. This prevents any clippings that` adhere. to the blades from fouling the blades and preventing the shears from opening fully. The. blades I2 and I6 carried by the operating. mexn-- bers ID and I4, respectively, constitute the outer blades of the shears. The outer blades I2 and I6 have cutting edges, indicated generally at A. that cooperate, respectively, with cutting edges. indicated generally at B, of the inner blades It` and II..

As shown best in Figs. 3 and 4, each of the outer blades` I2 and I6 is inclined or curved so that` its plane extends across the plane of the inner blade withwhich it cooperates. Thus, when. the shears are being closed. as. that illustrated in Fig. 5, there are three points of contact; i. e., two slideing points of contact. where.. the respective inner and outer blades touch at their cutting edges and one point of contact behind the lever bolt I8 in the direction of the handlesv I3 and IT, otherwise the. moving parts do. not touch. Since the con handles I3 and I'I by pins 2| and normally urges 4 the handles apart so that the blades will return automatically to their open position when .thel

handles are released. A stop 22 carried by the each of said members at one end thereof, each of said blades having a single cutting edge extending along one side thereof and entering into cutting engagement with one of the blades on the other member upon pivotal movement of the operating members in one direction with the plane of one of the blades of each set of blades extending across the plane of the other blades at their cutting edges, handles carried at the other end of each of the operating members, said handles being spaced aparta dista'ncepermitting them to be gripped in one hand and being mov- `able toward each other by a squeezing action of Y the hand in moving said members in said one operating member I0 engages with the opposed operating member I4 and preventsY the blades from moving beyond their fully open position.

direction and resilient means holding said mem- -bers in opposing relation at their pivot point,

; Vsaid means permitting a tilting movement of the It will be understood that various modifications and changes may be made in the illustrated embodiment invention by-those skilled in the art withoutdeparting from the scope of theinvenL tion` as defined by the appended claims.

I claim: Y

l.4 In a cutting shear of the type adapted for operation by one hand, the combination which includes a pair of spaced single edged cutting blades. a second, pair of Single edged cutting blades pivotally secured to said first pair of blades, said pairs of vblades. each having an inner and anouter blade and being positioned with the cutting edge ofthe inner blade of each pair cooperating with the cutting edge of the outer blade of the other pair, said inner blades overlapping eachother when the shear is open and having their opposedoverlapping surfaces spacedv apart and. a handle. secured to each pair of blades'for opening and closing the shear, said handles being spacedapart a distance suitable for grippinglbyY one hand of an operatorr when the shear is open. v

2. In a cutting shear ofthe type adapted for,

operation by one hand, thercombination Which includes a pair oi spaced single edged cutting blades, a second pair of single edged cutting blades pivotallysecured' to said rst pair of blades, said pairs of blades each having an inner and an outer blade and being positioned with the cutting edge of the inner blade of each pair cooperating with the cutting edge of the outer blade of the other pair, said inner blades overlapping each other when the shear is open and having their opposed overlapping surfaces spaced apart, a resilient member acting on said blades at the point at which said blades are pivotally connected, said resilient member permitting said blades to move relative to each other while maintaining contact at two spaced points between the cooperating inner and outer blades of the respective pairs of blades during operation of the shear and a handle secured to each pair of blades for opening and closing the shear, said handles being spaced apart a distance suitable for gripping by one hand of an operator when the shear is open.

.3. In a cutting shear of the type adapted for .operation by one hand, the combination. as de- ;ned in claim `2 wherein the plane of the outer blade of each pair of blades extends across the plane of the inner blade of the other lpair of blades.

A4. In a hand-operated shear for clipping grass or the like the combination of a pair of operating members extending across each other and being pivotally. secured together at the point .where they crosse, pair of spaced cutting bladescarriedby operating members V'relative to each other under thelfinfluence of the engagement of the cutting blades during pivotal movement of the members in said one direction-1*; r

V.5- In a :Sheer operable; by, 911e han@ f??? :cullping grass or the like, thecombination whichinj' cludes a; pairof operating -members Vextending across each otherand being pivotallysecfzuredtogether et the polntwherethey Crest. ille?? and an outer cutting blade carried at one endoteach of said operating members, said blades being movable between open to Qlosedfpos'itionsgby pivotal movementof the O peratingrr* members, the inner blade of one member overlappingthe innerbladeof the otherlnember` when the blades are open, each of the blades having a single cut-g ting edgerextending along onesidethereof, the cutting edge on the outer blade oteach, ofthe members :being `positioned to enter into cutting engagementwith the cutting edge on the inner blade of the opposing member upon movement. of theV blades from open to clos ef 1 positiomgat least one blade oieacn set'of opposing-inner and router blades extending across thel plane `bf the opposing bladeat their cutting edges; a-.hanfY die vcarried byeaeh of the operatinginembers at the other endthereof, Vsaid handles being; spacedjapart a distance permitting'them to be gripped by one hand when the blades areiopen` and resilient means holdingthe operating members in opposingv relation at theirfpivotpoint, said; means permitting tilting movement oi` heoperating members .with respeet to eaehsotberf and maintaining the cutting edges of the op posing blades in Cutting engagement upon pivot:

el movement 0f theoperating members- Y 6. .In a .Shear o1; erab1ebif.onehrgmdioromM ping grass or the like, the combination which includes a pair `ofoperatir-1g members extending across each other and ,being p ivetally secured-1 together ata point intermediate their ends, an inner and an outer cutting blade ,carried atene end 'of each of said operating membersiasaidi blades being movable between open and Aclosed positions by pivotal movement of theoperalill members,the inner blade otonevmember over, lapping the inner blade ofthe other member and being spaced therefrom Vwhen the blades gare, open, each of said bledesfheving-a single Cutting. edgeV extending along r'one side thereof, fthe-1119: ting edge. on the outer blade-of eachofg theme13: bers .beine4 positioned to; enter .into slitting. engagement with, the cutting, .edge onA thee innen blade `o fnthea opposing membeltupon movement, of `the blades from open Vtoi closedfpositioxtaat least one ,1 blade `of Yeach setl of..- opposinsiinner and outer blades extending across the ,plane of, the ,i opposing? bladel amtheir.;eutt1-r1eg4 edges.: ia'

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 136,209 Borden Feb. 25, 1873 1,533,479 Stitt Apr. 14, 1925 1,870,025 Rauh Aug. 2, 1932 1,941,718 Rasmussen Jan. 2, 1934 1,993,360 Ciocia Mar. 5, 1935 2,281,977 Keiser May 5, 1942 

